This invention relates to a spinning machine having a plurality of spinning stations arranged next to one another which each have a drafting device and to which preferably one can respectively is assigned which contains sliver to be spun, as well as having at least one air-conditioning duct which extends in the longitudinal direction of the machine and is provided with outlet openings for air-conditioned fluid flows.
A spinning machine of this type is disclosed in the German Patent Document 39 19 284 A1. In the case of this known spinning machine, according to FIGS. 5 and 6, an air-conditioning duct is provided which extends below the drafting units (opening devices) in the longitudinal direction of the machine, and the outlet openings of which are directed against the slivers deposited in the cans. By means of this measure, only the spinning material is air-conditioned so that the energy expenditures for the air-conditioning can be kept minimal. However, the introduction of the air-conditioning fluid flows into the cans will be disadvantageous when a longer transport path for the slivers exists between the cans and the drafting units. In this case, before reaching the spinning units, the fiber material would be impaired such by the ambient inside air that the air-conditioning would be lost again even before the spinning.
From the British Patent Document GB-PS 11 83 208, a ring spinning machine is known to which slivers are fed in cans which are deposited on a platform above the ring spinning machine. The slivers to be fed to the drafting units are guided downward from the platform by means of sliver tubes. Between the drafting units and the platform, an air-conditioning duct extends in the longitudinal direction of the machine which is penetrated by the sliver tubes. Inside the air-conditioning duct, the walls of the sliver tubes are perforated so that the slivers are air-conditioned before the drafting units are reached. Also in this embodiment, the slivers, after their air-conditioning, have to cover a long path to the drafting units where the air-conditioning is required so that the danger exists that the air-conditioning will be lost again.
On the basis of the German Patent Document DE-AS 25 44 643, a double-twist frame is known in which, in the machine center above the double-twist spindles, an air-conditioning duct extends in the longitudinal direction of the machine. On both machine sides, the air-conditioning duct is equipped with blow nozzles through which air-conditioned air is fed to each spindle in the upper part of the yarn balloon. The arrangement is such that air-conditioned air always sweeps over particularly the feeding spool. However, no drafting devices exist in the case of a double-twist frame.
From the German Patent Document DE-OS 20 45 006, it is known to extend one compressed-air duct respectively along the opening rollers of the drafting devices of open-end rotor spinning machines which removes the fibers from the mounting of the opening roller and guides them to a spinning rotor. The compressed air fed to the opening roller is air-conditioned, in which case it is not specified how the air-conditioning duct is arranged.
An object of the present invention is to provide a guiding of the air-conditioned fluid flows in the case of a spinning machine of the initially mentioned type in such a manner that they reach the location where they are actually required.
This object is achieved according to preferred embodiments of the invention in such a manner that the outlet openings are arranged such that the fluid flows penetrate the drafting devices.
Since the whole spinning room does not have to be air-conditioned, not only is a low energy consumption achieved according to the invention, but care is also taken that the fluid flows definitely penetrate the drafting devices, for example, the drafting units of ring spinning machines where the air-conditioning is needed most. In addition, in the case of preferred embodiments of the invention, the space requirements for the mounting of the air-conditioning duct are also reduced.
The invention is preferably used particularly in the case of ring spinning machines in which an unutilized space exists below the spindle rail anyhow which may be used for an air-conditioning duct. In an advantageous development of the invention, slivers are fed to a ring spinning machine in cans which are deposited above the spinning machine. These slivers are then fed along a fairly long path to the drafting units from above so that it is particularly important to provide air-conditioning in the area of the drafting units. On their transport path, the slivers are supported by guiding devices, such as transport belts, so that it becomes possible to also feed relatively thin slivers in cans, that is, slivers with sizes of approximately Nm 0.4 to 0.8. By the use of such guiding devices, these fine slivers can also be transported along larger vertical sections. By means of this can feeding, it will then be possible to do without a premounted machine, such as the flyer, in the case of ring spinning machines. At the same time, the previously customary three-cylinder drafting units may still be used.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.